Rails have several uses such as securing a deck. Typically, rails comprise a horizontally extending bottom rail and a parallel top rail spaced from the bottom rail, with a plurality of spindles or other vertical elements extending between the top and bottom rails, spaced from each other, and rigidly connected to the top and bottom rails at their respective ends.
Railing construction has presented many problems including difficulty in the economic manufacture and assembly of parts. Where railing systems are put together with screws and bolts, a considerable amount of labor may be required to construct each rail section. The parts needed to assemble many of today's rails, especially those made of metal or plastic, are often numerous and difficult to manufacture. Another problem a rail installer often faces, is the separation of walls or end posts varying from the design dimension by as much as several inches. Because of the variations in separation, precut modular railings often underwent extensive on-site alterations at the time of installation, and therefore their use was limited. Railings which were cut to size, assembled, and installed on-site required a great amount of labor, and often lacked uniformity with other nearby installations.
Accordingly, there is a need for an improved rail structure, preferably using plastic components, wherein the rail utilizes the minimal number of parts, can be easily assembled with minimal waste, is of low cost, and is handsome and durable in use.